The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-04-09

passing mention. Among them-unless one
has already followed its serial course in Har-
per's Magazine-Mr. Blackmore's Springha-
ven would be the first choice of reader. 1t is
story of seaport of the Southern coast of
England. in the time preceding the fight of
Trafalgar; and Lord Nelson appears in it, not
only as the great commander, but as the god
father and friend of the heroine, Dolly-who
is, by the way, one Of those capricious little
village maidens that Mr. Blackmore knows
how to depict with touch that seems inher-
tied from the comedy writers of the last cen
tury, full of Astounding life and dainty spar
kle. The father of Dolly is a loyal old officer
OF the navy; and there is the usual chorus of
gaffers and gammers, which for comical rus
ITCHY and owlish density of Judgment send
the reader to the clowns of Shakespeare for
a comparison. Landscape and light and
shade do their part in the salt, keen atmos-
phere of the story, which does not lack its
elements of love, incident treachery and
tragedy. Springhaven is a strong novel, and
worthy Of the author of Lorna Doone. New
York: Harper & Brothers; Portland: Lor-
ing, Short & Harmony
Another novel, also to be regarded as Sc
rious addition to the department of historical
fiction, is the Bride of the Nile, one of the
novels of remote times and civilizations in
which Professor George Ebers is so fortu-
nate. In reading his stories of Egypt or of
Rome, one is not troubled by the vague sense
OF distrust which runs between the lines Of
many historical romances; there is feeling
of reliance, not only upon the scholarly ac-
curacy of DR.. Ebers, but upon the material
izing force of his fancy, which makes the
personages of his fiction move and speak as
If warmed by the ancient sunshine Of their
own time and place. The scene of the Bride
Of the Nile is laid in Egypt, during the 18th
century, and from the open pages, where the
caravan approaches Memphis, to the SUI
perbly lyric scene OF the sacrifice of the mys-
tic bride, the interest of the reader is. kept
awake by continual and brilliant success
sion of pictures, which show that the essen
tial elements of life and of sorrow and Joy
are the same in ancient Memphis as in mod
ern civilization New York: William s.
Gottsberger & Coz
If, having leisure hour to be pleasant
ly filled, the reader would choose q novel of
modern theme and atmosphere, to tighten
his lungs from the dust of ages, which is in
separable from Egyptian antiques, to him
shall be cheerfully and confidently recon-
mended Two Gentlemen of Gotham. 1t APP
pears anonymously; but if conjecture be in
order, it seems to be the work of two AMIGA
BILE pens, the one masculine the other
feminine. Indeed, having once adopted this
theory as to the joint authorship of this
bright and charming story, one can almost
point out the passages where the angular
English handwriting of the woman gave
place to the firmer fist of the man whom, one
goes on to fancy, is a graduate of Yale and a
journalist not unacquainted with his New
York. So much for conjecture which after al
only leaves guesser as in glass house ex-
posed to the stones of the scorn of those who
know all about the affair. But the Two Gen
tlemen of Gotham is very attractive in its
genuine tone of society. its bright dialogue
sometimes little too bright to be natural
or even as effective as it would be if subdued
by few of the touches of stupidity which
any OF us could have supplied to the author,
and which, after all, give requisite shade to
the high lights of epigram. There is, more.
over, to be noted, use, something too lavish,
OF French and Italian phrases-of she for
mer the accuracy is sometimes doubtful and
the latter have not even the benefit Of the
doubt. Perhaps, since two persons have al
ready been imagined to share the praise OF
the book, third, the proof reader, may be
accredited with part of the slight blame.
At all events, the Two Gentlemen of Goth
am is decided success in the difficult line Of
society fiction; it has the charm, intellectual
and of manner, of elegant persons. and will
not fail to be one Of the novels most popu-
lar for next summers schools of social sci.
ence, at the mountains or seaside. Mean
while, 1t is very entertaining as fireside
pastime while yet the rigors of spring are in
the land. New York: Cassell q Co.
Portland; Loring, Short & Harmony